Outdoor & Landscape · Calculator
Gravel Calculator
Use this gravel calculator to turn your driveway, path or patio base into cubic yards, tons, bags and cost. Add as many areas as you need, pick your gravel type, and get an order you can read straight to the supplier.
Your gravel project
- Area 1LengthftinWidthftin
Squares and rectangles.
480 sq ft
Typical as delivered. Ask your supplier for their number: moisture and stone type move it.
Clean stone: 5 to 10%. Crusher run and decomposed granite: 15 to 20%.
How to calculate gravel in yards and tons
Gravel is sold two ways: by the cubic yard (volume) and by the ton (weight). You always start with volume. Multiply length by width to get square feet, multiply by depth in feet (inches divided by 12), then divide by 27 to get cubic yards.
To convert yards to tons, multiply by the weight of your stone. Most gravel lands between 1.3 and 1.5 tons per cubic yard. The calculator fills in a typical figure for each type, and you can type in the exact number from your quarry.
Add an allowance before you order. Loose stone settles and compacts, especially crusher run and decomposed granite, and some always ends up mixed into the soil below. Ten percent is a safe floor for clean stone.
How deep should gravel be?
Depth drives your order more than anything else. Doubling the depth doubles the tonnage, so match it to the job instead of guessing. These are typical compacted depths.
| Project | Depth | Best gravel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden path or walkway | 2 to 3 in | Pea gravel, DG | Use edging so stone stays put |
| Patio or paver base | 4 to 6 in | Crusher run | Compact in 2 in lifts, then 1 in of sand |
| Shed or hot tub pad | 4 to 6 in | #57 or crusher run | Frame with treated lumber |
| New driveway (total) | 8 to 12 in | Layered | See the layering guide below |
| Driveway top-up | 2 in | #57 or crusher run | Fill potholes first |
| French drain or trench | Full trench | Washed #57 | Enter the trench as length x width |
| Play area | 9 in or more | Pea gravel | Loose fill per CPSC playground guidance |
Gravel types, sizes and weights
Rounded stone like pea gravel and river rock leaves more air between pieces, so it weighs a little less per yard. Angular crushed stone locks together and is the right choice anywhere you drive or build on top.
| Gravel type | Stone size | Typical tons per cu yd | Range | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 3/8 in | 1.4 | 1.2 to 1.5 | Paths, play areas, patios, drainage |
| Crushed stone #57 | 3/4 to 1 in | 1.4 | 1.35 to 1.5 | Driveway top layer, drainage, concrete base |
| River rock | 1 to 3 in | 1.3 | 1.25 to 1.4 | Dry creek beds, borders, decorative beds |
| Crusher run / road base | 3/4 in down to dust | 1.5 | 1.45 to 1.6 | Driveway and paver base (compacts hard) |
| Decomposed granite | 1/4 in down to fines | 1.4 | 1.3 to 1.5 | Paths, patios, xeriscape |
Weights are typical as-delivered figures from supplier charts. Wet stone weighs more, and names vary by region (crusher run is also sold as #411, road base, ABC or dense grade).
How to build a gravel driveway in layers
A driveway that holds up is built like a road: big stone at the bottom, smaller stone on top.
- Prep the subgrade. Strip sod and topsoil, grade a slight crown so water runs off, and lay woven geotextile fabric on soft or clay soil.
- Base layer, 4 to 6 in. #3 stone (about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 in) or large crushed rock carries the load.
- Middle layer, 4 in. #57 stone fills the gaps and drains well.
- Surface layer, 2 to 4 in. Crusher run packs into a hard, smooth top. Clean #57 looks nicer but ruts more.
Compact each layer with a plate compactor or roller before the next one goes down. Gravel driveways and snow removal need some planning too: our guide to single-stage vs two-stage snow blowers explains why paddle-style machines throw stones.
Run each layer separately
Tips for ordering gravel
- Ask how the yard sells it. Some quarries price by the ton, landscape yards by the cubic yard. The calculator shows both, so you can compare quotes directly.
- Round up, not down. Bulk stone usually sells in half-yard or half-ton steps. A second delivery costs more than a little extra stone.
- Pick the drop spot. A loaded dump truck can crack a concrete driveway or sink into a lawn. Have it dump on the gravel area itself if you can.
- Measure odd shapes as pieces. Split curved paths into rectangles and circles. For a single box of any material, the cubic yard calculator is quicker.
- Plan the whole yard at once. If you are also filling beds, the topsoil calculator, mulch calculator and sod calculator use the same area inputs, and one delivery day saves money.
Measure twice, set the right depth, and let the gravel calculator handle the yards-to-tons conversion. Then call two suppliers, because prices and delivery fees for the same stone can vary a lot between yards.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
Most gravel weighs about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, with a normal range of 1.3 to 1.5 tons. Rounded river rock is on the light end, while crusher run with its stone dust packs in closer to 1.5 tons. Ask your supplier for their number, because moisture and quarry source change it.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
One ton of gravel at 1.4 tons per yard covers about 115 square feet at 2 inches deep, 77 square feet at 3 inches and 58 square feet at 4 inches. Divide 324 by your depth in inches to get square feet per cubic yard, then divide by the tons per yard.
How deep should gravel be for a driveway?
A new gravel driveway needs 8 to 12 inches of compacted stone built in two or three layers, from coarse base stone up to a finer surface. Topping up an existing driveway usually takes 2 inches of new surface gravel.
Is it cheaper to buy gravel in bags or in bulk?
Bulk is far cheaper for anything over about half a cubic yard. A yard of gravel equals 54 bags of 0.5 cubic feet, and bagged stone often costs three to five times the bulk price per yard. Bags only make sense for small patches, planters and repairs.
How much extra gravel should I order?
Order about 10 percent extra for clean stone like #57 or pea gravel, and 15 to 20 percent extra for crusher run or decomposed granite, which compact a lot under a plate compactor. Running short costs you a second delivery fee.
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